


Take Care of My Boy

by Live2Sail



Series: Acadaversary [3]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Acadaversary, Academy Era, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Healing, fluff at the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-05-28 17:16:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6338032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Live2Sail/pseuds/Live2Sail
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On one of their breaks from the Academy Phil's mother dies. Melinda takes him to visit her mother, hoping that they'll both be able to help him heal. Academy Era, part of my Acadaversary series. This can be read alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take Care of My Boy

**Author's Note:**

> I'm heartbroken over this week's episode so I decided to write this.

**1987**

23 year old Melinda May pulled her car up her mother’s driveway. “We’re here.” She said softly but her partner’s gaze didn’t break from where he was staring listlessly out the window. It’d been a rough couple weeks. The Academy gave all their recruits a month off during the summer to return home if they wished and visit their family. Phil had spent the first week caring for his terminally ill mother and  preparing for her funeral. He spent the second packing up his home and attending his mother’s funeral. Melinda had flown in half way through the first week and hadn’t left his side since. When she had found out he was planning on spending the rest of his break rattling around the empty house she’d quickly called her mom and made arrangements for him to stay with them.

“Come on, I’m sure my mom’s already got something fresh out of the oven and something else going in.” That earned her a small, fleeting smile from her best but it was quickly gone. Melinda sighed before she stepped out of the car and opened her trunk. In a moment Phil was beside her grabbing both their duffle bags, leaving Melinda with the small box of personal items Phil had kept from his mother’s house. Ever since they’d met a year ago in martial arts class, Phil had been doing things like that: opening the door for her, grabbing her bags, letting her pass through doorways first. It was infuriating and endearing all at once.

“Qiaolian, welcome home.” Her mother said giving her a short hug. She then turned her attention to the taller man behind her daughter. “You must be Phillip, my daughter has told me a lot about you.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” Phil said giving the older woman a tired, worn out smile but it faded quickly.

“This one has manners.” Lian directed conspiratorially to her daughter, who just rolled her eyes. “I’ll show you to the guest room.”

“He’s staying with me, māma.” Melinda stared at her mother and dared her to comment on their sleeping arrangements.

“Alright, you’re both adults. Melinda will show you to her room then. Dinner’s almost ready so be back down in ten minutes to set the table, Qiaolian.” Lian said, not taking her eyes off her daughter. Melinda led Phil up the stairs and into her bedroom, thankful she had a queen size bed.

That night Phil lay staring up at the ceiling. Melinda was fast asleep next to him, curled in a ball, her entire back pressed against his side. After looking at the clock for the tenth time and it still reading 1:03 AM he pushed back the covers and slipped down the stairs. He wandered the living room looking at the pictures on the mantle, all of them containing at least Melinda, and sometimes one or both of her parents.

“Can’t sleep?” Lian May’s voice starled him and he spun around to stare at her. Her face was makeup free, her hair a mess, and she wore a comfy bathrobe over her pajamas. “Come. Whenever my Qiaolian can’t sleep I always make her chamomile tea with honey.”

Phil watched as the older woman bustled around the kitchen putting the kettle on to boil and getting two mugs out of the cupboard. He said a murmured thank you when she placed his mug in front of him and took a seat at the table next to him. The two sat in silence for quite a while before Phil finally decided to speak, his voice breaking halfway through. “My mom used to make me homemade hot chocolate when I couldn’t sleep.”

Lian reached over and held his hand in hers, squeezing tightly. It was like a storm was unleashed. All the pent up grief and anger from the past two weeks escaped as tears streamed down his cheeks. The older May woman reached over and pulled him into a tight hug. She hummed a soft lullaby to him while she rocked him back and forth. As the tears ceased, his face grew red in embarrassment and he pulled back.

“I’m sorry.” Phil said wiping the tears from his face while Lian sipped her tea again, giving him time to collect himself.

“Don’t be. You need to let yourself grieve. While I don’t often appreciate excessive displays of emotion, the death of a loved one is an exception. It is alright to be angry and sad right now but take time to remember the good things as well, hm.” Lian said piercing Phil with her gaze. “Tell me about your mother.”

For almost four hours Phil shared stories of his mother, mostly ones after the death of his father but a few from before. Lian listened for hours, only commenting when it was clear Phil needed the encouragement. When he slipped back into bed beside Melinda she rolled over and wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling into his side.

“Everything ok?” She whispered sleepily.

“Everything’s fine. Go back to sleep.” She hummed before falling back asleep quickly, Phil following her not long after.

Over the next two weeks Phil began to heal a little more each day. He still had his moments of anger or sadness or loneliness, but the May women recognized these moments and gave him the space he needed to work through them. His smiles and jokes slowly started making an appearance again as well. Lian May had also taken a special shine to Phil. They could often be found drinking tea together in silence or in deep philosophical discussions. While Lian could never and would never replace his mother, she was able to help provide that motherly relationship that he craved. On their last night in Lian’s house the two younger agents to be were laying in bed, talking about their upcoming classes and seeing their friends again.

“Garrett was telling me about this interesting tradition his SO told him about.” Phil said. Melinda was curled up against his side with his arm wrapped around her. Her head was lying on his chest listening to his heartbeat and he almost missed her answering ‘hm.’

“Apparently, there’s this thing called an Acadaversary. Partners who meet at the Academy celebrate each year on the date of the Academy’s founding.” Phil held his breath while Melinda looked up to stare at him.

“Yeah so?” She asked, squinting at him.

“Today’s the anniversary of the Academy’s founding.” Phil just stared back when Melinda only continued to stare at him. “Happy Acadaversary, Melinda.”

“Can we even celebrate an Acadaversary if we’re not even out of the Academy yet?” Melinda asked, her eyebrow steadily raising.

“Why not? We’re partners, we met at the Academy, we deserve to celebrate.” Phil answered. Melinda let her head fall back down to his chest, her eyes closed, and she listened to his heartbeat again. “By the way, you wouldn’t happen to know how all of your stuff ended up on half of the room while all of my stuff miraculously climbed out of the box and made it onto the other half of the room? Or how my clothes now take up half your closet?”

“Not a clue.” Melinda answered, a smirk on her face. “Happy Acadaversary, Phil.”

The next morning the two packed up the car and prepared to say goodbye to Lian. She gave Phil a quick hug first and a tin of chamomile tea. Then she pulled her daughter into a slightly longer hug. “Take care of my boy, Qiaolian, he’s good for you.”


End file.
